INFORMATION ABOUT AURANGABAD

Aurangabad is a historical city and has a very interesting historical background. In the year 1653 Moghal Prince Aurangzeb gave the name Aurangabad to this city. Aurangabad is 515meters above sea level.As Aurangabad is surrounded by the mountains, it got wide political importance in olden days.

Aurangabad is a tourist place,the tourists visiting Ajanta, Ellora Caves, Paithan etc.stay in Aurangabad .The most notable feature of these cave temples is that entire hillsides were cut with artisan's chisel to produce some of the most exquisite sculpture. Aurangabad, 400 km from Mumbai, is easily linked both by air and rail.

AURANGABAD HISTORY

From ancient times Aurangabad has been a place of great importance due to it’s location on the famous "Silk Route" that traversed across the breadth of Asia to reach Europe. Textiles, embroidered finery and various kinds of beads made in nearby Paithan were exported to the markets of Greece, Rome and Egypt.

Under royal dynasties such as the Satavahanas, Vakatakas, Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas, Aurangabad developed as a centre of culture and learning. It gave birth to or provided inspiration for great poet – saints and philosophers like Dyaneshwar, Eknath and Ramdas, Wali and Siraj.

Aurangabad’s strategic position in the Deccan earned it the name of "Khidki" meaning window, serving as it did, as an opening through which North India could look into the Deccan.

Mohammed-bin-Tughlaq the ‘Mad King’ was so impressed by the topography of the Deogiri mountain that he forsook Delhi and moved his capital down renaming it Daulatabad. Thus Aurangabad enjoys the rare distinction of being the only city apart from Delhi to have served as the capital of India. Finally, Aurangabad became the seat of the last of the great Moghuls Aurangzeb as he fought to block the resurgent Maratha power.

AURANGABAD TOURISM

The Places of Interest and Sight Seeing



• Ellora Caves : (Distance – 15 km): The famous rock cut caves temples of Ellora depict the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths, and were constructed between the 5th and 8th centuries A.D. The Ellora Caves have been declared a World Heritage site.
• Daulatabad Fort : ( Distance – 7 km ): Originally the mountainous Deogiri fortress, it was an old Hindu stronghold, finally captured and plundered by deceit in the 13th century.
• Khuldabad : ( Distance – 14 km ): At Khuldabad or Abode of Eternity is located the tomb of the last great Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb.
• Ghrishneshwar Temple : ( Distance – 18 km ): Worshippers of Shiva flock to the Ghrishneshwar Temple. Ghrishneshwar was built in the 18th century of spotted red sandstone.
• Ajanta : ( Distance – 110 km ): Ajanta’s wondrous cave temples are cut into the rocky sides of a dramatic crescent-shaped gorge. Deep inside the mountain are the Buddhist chaitya – vihara prayer and monastery caves.
• Bibi ka Maqbara : ( Distance – 6 km ): It is the tomb of Begum Rabia Durani, wife of Emperor Aurangzeb.
• Panchakki : ( Distance – 4 km ):An intriguing water mill, the Panchakki is famous for its underground water channel /li>
• Aurangabad Caves : ( Distance – 8 km ): Nestled amidst the hills are 12 Buddhist caves probably dating back to the 1 A.D.
• Lonar : ( Distance – 122 km ): At Lonar is one of the world’s 5 largest craters, formed by the impact of a meteorite nearly 50,000 years ago. The surface diameter of the crater is nearly 1.75 kms, and its depth is nearly 132 metres.
• Shani Shignapur : ( Distance – 68 km ): The village is famed for its temple dedicated to Shani – the planet Saturn.
• Pariyon ka Talab : ( Distance – 60 km ): It is a large lake with steps all along its western shore and a stage like platform which bears great resemblance to the ancient roman amphitheatre.
• Paithan : ( Distance – 56 km ): The ancient city and pilgrim centre of Paithan is situated on the banks of the Godavari. Today it is famous for the beautiful ‘Paithanis’ – woven silk sarees with intricate zari borders
• Pithalkora : ( Distance – 78 km ): Located on the ancient trade route, at Pithalkora are 13 cave sanctuaries dating back to the 2nd century B.C., with additions in the 5th and 6th centuries.

ACCOMODATION/STAY OPTIONS IN AURANGABAD

• WELCOMHOTEL RAMA INTERNATIONAL
• Ambassador Ajanta


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